Steam iron



sepf. V13, 1960 M. M. KlsTNER ET AL 2,952,086

STEAM'IRON Filed Nw. 4, 1958 52 3| 53 u e I 22 2 34 436 f fil a Il -1-e gl .-4, f gs- '58 2 `2-6 Ihn" Wp." 64 A 60 52 54 4 42 l I 'In l /5 4 66 l "1" 6 /A I6 70 50 @iii-11 i- )u l mhh IW" 'l1/ffl,

y INVENTORS. MERRILL M. KlsTNl-:n

EDWARD G. TESMER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O STEAM IRON Merrill M. Kistner and Edward G. Tesmer, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignors to Steam Iron Corporation, St. Petersburg, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed Nov. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 771,777

2 Claims. (Cl. 3877)` This invention relates to steam irons and'more particularly to control means for regulating the flow of water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber of a steam iron of the ash type, and also controlling the setting of the thermostat of the iron.

Heretofo-re steam irons have been made of two types, the ash type and the boiler type. In flash type irons, as disclosed in my prior Patents No. 2,313,382 granted March 9, 1943, and No. 2,384,839 granted September 18, 1945, a quantity of water is cont-aimed in a reservoir mounted over the sole-plate and the water is delivered through `a valve-controlled outlet to a steam generating chamber in the sole-plate. The steam may ow from the steam generating chamber through channels in the sole-plate to outlet or discharge openings in the sole-plate to properly condition the steam, as disclosed and claimed lin Patent No. 2,384,839.

,11n commercial steam irons at present available, it is the usual practice to provide valve-controlled means for the delivery of water to the steam generating chamber that is incapable of regulation, i.e., the valve has only an on position and an oif position. To obtain the full advantages of an iron of this type, the water control should be capable of regulation. When pressing heavier fabrics requiring higher temperatures, larger quantities of steam should be supplied.

In addition, as the temperature of the sole-plate is increased, the amount of steam generated should be proportionately increased to `assure production of a uniform type of steam at all temperatures. For best operation, a steam iron should produce steam that is not too wet, that is, does not contain any `appreciable quantity of water `droplets in liquid form. Such steam causes spotting of various fabrics. On the other hand, the steam should not be superheated to an appreciable amount. If it is, no condensation will take place in the fabric and the fabric will not be conditioned in the pressing operation in the manner that a properly constructed and properly used steam iron is capable of conditioning fabric.

It will be apparent that a certain portion of the heat supplied by the heating element of an iron is used for heating the sole-plate and -a certain proportion is used to vaporize the water supplied to the steam generating chamber and condition the steam before it is delivered to the discharge ports. This proportion is roughly the same at any setting of the thermostat. It will thus be apparent that in an iron having only one rate of water delivery to the steam generating chamber, the type of steam delivered will vary with diiferent thermostat settings. If a properly conditioned steam is delivered with a low thermostat setting, a higher setting requiring a greater heat input to maintain the sole-plate at the higher temperature, will result in superheating the steam to an extent that the iron does not properly condition the fabric, because insuiiicient steam is condensed in the fabric. Likewise, if the steam delivered is in proper condition with a high setting, a lower setting will result ICC in the delivery of steam that is too wet and which will spot delicate, colored fabrics.

In my copending application, Serial No. 617,777 led October 23, 1956, now Patent No. 2,903,804, granted September 15, 1959, I have disclosed a ash type iron in which the water delivery of the iron is correlated to the temperature setting of the thermostat, and in which a single control member regulates the setting of the valve and the thermostat. The present invention is directed to improved means to accomplish the valve regulation and thermostat setting.

In the present invention we provide a slide mounted on the shell of the iron beneath the gripping portion of the handle. The slide is provided with a rack meshing with a gear which is connected to the thermostat control rod to set the thermostat for a desired temperature. The forward end of Ithe slide is provided with a c-am Yportion cooperating with means to raise the valve stem, which is normally biased toward a lowered or closed position, to open the valve an amount corresponding to Vthe setting of the thermostat. Means are provided to permit adjustment of the thermostat to different temperature settings land retain the valve in closed position when the iron is used as a `dry iron.

In the accompanying drawing we have shown one embodiment of `the invention. In this showing:

Fig. yl is a side elevation of an iron, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is ya similar view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed, sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a partial plan View of fthe sole-plate of the iron.

. Referring to the drawing, the `iron is generally the conventional ash type domestic iron, including a soleplate 2, over which is` mounted a Vreservoir 4, enclosed by ya shell 6 on which is mounted -a handle 8. The reservoir is provided with a member 10 forming a valve seat 12 which cooperates with valve 14 -to control delivery of waten Valve 14 is formed on the lower end of valve stem 16 which extends upwardly through the lhandle as shown. Water is delivered from the reservoir to a steam generating chamber 18 in the sole-plate. The sole-plate may be of the construction shown in Kistner` Patent 2,384,839, having discharge ports (not shown) connected by channels (not shown) to the steam generating chamber. A heating element (not shown), generally in the form of a U and following the contour of the sole-plate, is embedded in the sole-plate. The terminals of the heating element are connected to electric cord terminals (not shown) in the rear leg of handle 8. A thermostat 20, generally arranged in a recess in the rear portion ofthe sole-plate, is connected between one of the cord terminals and one of the terminals of the heating element. The sole-plate, reservoir, shell and handle are secured to each other by conventional means. The parts heretofore described are of usual construction and form no part of the invention except in combination with the parts to be described.

As shown, the front leg 22 of the handle is a separate member secured to the handle 8 by screw 24. `It is provided with la bore 26 through which the valve stem 16 extends. The front portion of handle 8 which overlies leg 22 has `a recess 28 to receive a knob 30 which is secured to the upper end of the valve stem. As shown, the knob extends from the recess a suicient distance to permit it to be grasped to Iturn it. Beneath the knob a cam member 32 is secured to the valve stem, and an operating member or sleeve 34 is Iarranged below the cam member and meshes with it. This member carries a radially extending arm 36 (see Fig. 2). Knob Patented Sept. 13, 1960 in the bore.

30 and cani member 32 may be rotated and valve stem 16 turns with them. Operating member 34 s free to rotate on the valve stem and is movable axially of the stem. Operating member 34 is restrained against rotation by a pin 31 mounted in a bore in leg 22 and passing through an opening in arm 36. The upper face of operating member 34 has a cam face having ay high point 33l and the lower face of cam member 32 has a` canrface having la corresponding W point 3S. K A front vfilling opening 40 communicates with bore 26. As shown, the lower end of leg 22 comprises a bushing 42 which extends through an opening in the shell `and is received in the top of the reservoir. A spring 44 surrounds the stem. The spring is arranged between a stop pin 46 carried by' the stemrand a washer 48 mounted The spring is compressed when'the valve stem is raised and normally biases the valve toward a closed position. K

On the top of shell 6, we provide a channeled plate 5t) (see Fig. 4 in which the cover plate is removed) which forms the base of the control member. A slide 52 is mounted in plate Sil and a cover plate 54 is mounted over the slide.r Cover ,plate 54 is provided with a slot 56 through which a rod or pin 5S, connected to slide 52, extends. n A button 60, mounted on the pin 58, co-

- operates with indicia 62,y on the cover adjacent slot 56 to indicate the setting of the thermostat. As shown, slide 52 is provided with a rack 64 at one side.y This rack meshes with a pinion 66 carried by a ycoupling member 68. The coupling member extends through the shell and is secured to the upper end of thermostat control rod 70. f

The side of slide 52 opposite rack 64 extends beyond the rest of the slide, as at 72 (see Fig 3) into a recess in leg 22. At its forward endk it is provided withra seriesof cams 74; `These cams engage a rod or pin 76 mounted in ya bore of legr2r2 and arranged parallel to the valve stem. 'This pin engages the lower face of arm 36, and as the end of pin 76 rides on the cams 74, the arm is raised, raising sleeve 34. By providing a plurality offcam surfaces of varying heights, the opening of the valve may be correlated withfthe kthermostat setting to supply more water at higher temperature settings, and `thus produce steam of substantially uni form characteristics, regardless of the temperature at whichthe iron is set. By arranging they cam memberV 32 so that the -lowcam portion 35 of its lower face is aligned with the high cam portion 33 of operating member 34, the space between the two is equal to, or slightly greater than the totaly movement of operating member 34 caused by engaging of cams 74' with rod 76. Thus the pin may ride on the highest cam section without raising cam member 32. In such position the iron functions as ia dry iron with the valve retained closed by spring 44, but at the nsame time permitting any desired setting of the thermostat through the slide 52. Ilf the cam member 32 is turned to aligny another portion of its lower face with high point 35 of the operating member, `any ymovement of the operating member is transmitted to the valve-stem to regulate the opening of the valve yaccording tothe thermostat setting. Knob 30 may be provided with yan indicator (not shown) on its upper face to cooperate with suitable indicia such as the words said handle comprising `front and rear legs and a gripping s portion, the sole-plate, reservoir, shell and handle being operatively connected to each other to form a unitary structure, a valve controlling delivery of water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber, a valve stem connected to the valve, a thermostat to control the ,tem-V perature of the sole-plate, and a thermostat control rod associatedwith the thermostat, that 4improvement whichr comprises a slidable member mounted on the shell beneath the'handle, a gear rack secured to said slidable y member, a` gear meshing with said rack, the gear being connected tothe thermostat control rodto regulate the thermostat, a plurality of cams arranged at the front of ,the slidable member, a pin mounted in the front leg of the handle and engaged by said cams, land valve control means actuated by said pin to raise said valve stem and open the valve.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim-1 in which the valve control means ycomprises a sleeve on the valve stem, an arm carriedby the sleeve yand adapted to be engaged by said pin to raise the valve stem.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS y2,825,157 Kistner Mar. 4, k195s 2,853,814k Brauner sept. so, 195s 2,871,587y

Jepson Feb. 3, y1959 

